Rewind 07.2026

Welcome, sweet friends!!  Thank you for being here today for my 07.2026 Rewind post.  It was another busy month.  And with it's conclusion, there remain only 4 months in 2026.  I just cannot believe that.

Last month, in this post, I continued using a month-in-review formula similar to what my friend Deb at Deb's World uses for her Taking Stock posts.  You can find her most recent Taking Stock post, here.  

Instead of writing an entry for each day of the month, Deb responds to 26 prompts - one for each letter of the alphabet - to summarize her life lately.  I spent some time coming up with my own ABC of prompts and used them in April. Used them again for May and have decided to continue in this format for my month in review posts going forward.

With that, here we go...

Rewind 07.2026

Amusing - something funny:  my El Paso granddaughters posing as they jump in the pool.  I don't even know how they get into these positions before hitting the water.  We had a big time together - the girls coming up with creative poses and me trying to snap pictures as fast as I could.

Balancing:  my time and attention among all the grands at the beach.  I see so much more of Lucia and Camila than I do Declan and Cadence because those babies live 600 miles away.  But the girls don't understand exactly when I focus my attention on the Ft. Worth grands.  On this trip, I spent the first days playing a good deal with Declan.  On the third day, Lucia and Cami really started playing with him, too, and we had great fun.  At 16, Cady doesn't play any more but we talked and snuggled some.

see the chunky necklace?

Crafting:  attended a class at Crafts-n-Moor to make this little book page angel.  It was a quick project that we finished in less than an hour.  Would like to try to make one with my book club gals.  I think the angel would make a cute Christmas ornament just by herself without the stand.

Dating my PC:  does a vacation count as a multi-day date?   We left for Pensacola on 07.27.  Ate at 3 new-to-us restaurants down there. Will leave one for next month's Rewind as we officially ate at it on 08.01.  On Tuesday morning, 07.29.2026, we enjoyed a dolphin cruise then had lunch on the patio at Red Fish, Blue Fish.  If it had been cooler, Red Fish would have been a lot of fun.  But it was super muggy and we were all very hot.  Bren's family was there, too, but Declan was very, very, very hot and tired so they left a few minutes before we took the photo below. We celebrated birthdays at Pedro's Taco and Tequila Bar.  The place didn't look like much from the outside but was really colorful and bright inside.

Eating: oh, girls, are you as tired as I am of trying to think of what to fix for dinner and then mustering the energy to fix it?  I have been in a real funk but this week, I finally broke out it a bit with 3 new recipes.  I can thank Laura at I Do DeClaire for 2 of our dinners this week.  She shared these shawarma bowls and this lime chicken and summer berry salad.  Both were finger-licking good.  Tonight I fixed a Hello Fresh smashburger kit - thanks to Lauren for giving it to us.  

we ate the shawarma bowls so fast I didn't get a pic

Flowing - this is my word of the year so will share a way I went with the flow during the month:  I am patting myself on my back over here because I 'flowed' when packing my suitcase for the beach.  Once again, we took carry-ons and backpacks.  I had a number of birthday gifts for Cadence including Reeboks, a purse, and several little things.  This spring from Etsy, I ordered one of these jars for sea shells I have collected over the years.  

Decided to order adhesive lettering for the grands that reads 'Seashells from Pensacola' and bought plastic Ball jars at Walmart for them.  So, had those stuffed in my backpack.  Plus, all the things we needed for game night - gift bows, balloons, tape, Pictionary cards, a timer, Old Mermaid and Go, Fish decks of cards. Anyway, I figured out how to get everything I wanted to take packed into a carryon and backpack.

While at the beach, I didn't fret about when we were going to do what.  And it was so freeing.  Even down to meals, which I often worry over because I am usually the one cooking most of them.  But this trip I just winged it.  Our first night, I picked up hot dogs and brats, potato salad, slaw, macaroni salad and baked beans and fixed the quickest, easiest dinner ever.  

Proud of myself to be able to let things go a bit.

Glimmerings - little miracles:  lots of butterfly sightings in our backyard this summer.  I know it sounds strange but seeing butterflies makes me feel like my parents are near - if only for a fleeting moment.  Now whenever I am with the grands and we see a butterfly, they will say 'there's your mom' or 'there's your dad.'  These are 2 butterflies I saw within a couple of days of each other.

 

Home sweet home:  we have been busy 'round here.  Finally accomplished a couple of projects that I have had as seasonal goals for quite awhile.  We've painted all of the 'pull-outs' on the pillars around our house.  And as of today, we have painted all of the exterior lighting fixtures.  Yay us!!

 

Interesting - something that piqued my interest:  I am following a couple of criminal cases on YouTube.  Do you enjoy true crime programs and trials?  Opening statements begin tomorrow, 07.27.2026 for the Lindsey Clancy trial.  She killed her 3 children and tried to kill herself but was suffering from postpartum psychosis and severe mental health issues.  House of Horrors case, the Siders family in Ohio and D4vid's (rap singer) murder of the minor Celeste Rivas Hernandez, both of which are in preliminary grand jury hearing status.  

I feel like a weirdo or creep for watching trials but I find it very interesting how cases are solved and the crazy lengths criminals will go to try to conceal their involvement in a crime.  

Joyfulness: we had game night one evening and it was great fun to hear all the laughter and see all the smiles that playing silly games brought out in everyone.  Brennyn's husband Mustafa is generally very quiet and reserved but when he won the marshmallow blowing contest, even he smiled from ear to ear and raised his hand in victory.

Kudos:  to PC for his patience in Pensacola.  The 'playa' isn't exactly his choice of vacation location but he accepts that I love it and that it is the girls' favorite place to celebrate birthdays.  He was so good with all the commotion that goes along with 3-family trips.  

Loving:  family time at the beach.

Making:  appointments.  Same as last month.  More appointments.  Still trying to get to the bottom of the choking/coughing issue I am experiencing.  And the neck pain.  Will be doing physical therapy twice a week for six weeks.  Ugh.  Have an upcoming dermatology appointment for a full body skin check.  And an appointment with a gastroenterologist as my barium swallow suggests I have something called Barrett's esophagus.  PC continues to have much pain in his hips so we are off to an orthopedic specialist to get some help for him.  Such fun.  I remember when my parents' hit this stage of life.  Every week it was another appointment.  

Needing:  to order groceries and figure out meals again now that we are home.  Meal suggestions welcome!!  Please leave them in a comment below.  Tonight I had planned to make this pineapple chicken recipe but forgot to marinade the meat.  Ooops.  So Hamburger Helper to the rescue.

Organizing:  the notes and suggestions given to me by author Dianne Ochiltree in her consultation about my story "Crinkles and Dots."  And then making revisions to the story from those recommendations.  The first order of business was shortening sentences that contained more than 20 syllables.  Yikes.  Now, I am working on strengthening some of the details in the story that weren't clear to Dianne or need more explanation.  But it is so hard!!  I love my story like it is!!  

Planning:  our grocery list and meals for Pensacola.  What kinds of things do you eat when you are staying in accommodations with a kitchen/ette?  When PC and I went on our last 3-night getaway to New Mexico, we packed kind of a strange assortment of things to eat.  Whenever our family takes a beach vacation together, I try to cook at least 2 dinners for everyone.  So I have been scrolling through Pinterest for easy vacation meals for a crowd.  This site had some good suggestions.  

We will be placing a Walmart order for pickup on our way to the condo from the airport.  Sounds like our condo is well stocked but plan on taking my spices in a daily pill organizer.  My sister shared that great idea and I have pinned it, here.  BTW, are we Pinterest friends, yet?

Quoting:  teachers are back to school for professional development and in-service here in El Paso.  The children return on 08.03.2026.  My EP grandgirls go to a very sweet school where there is always something going on, some occasion for celebration.  My daughter Lauren is a fabulous mom, so when there's PJ day, the girls have darling pjs.  Crazy hair day=truly adorable crazy hair.

But it all wears her out.  This quote from Drowning in Paper Flowers made me think of her.

Don’t get me wrong, I love that the school hosts creative theme days to keep the kids involved, but between Red Ribbon Week, spirit week, favorite book character day, wacky hair day, favorite super-hero day, one hundredth day of school, and repeated pajama days (having to purchase new pajamas that fit and are cool, versus the T-shirt and underwear my kids actually sleep in)—it all gets to be a tad overwhelming.    

               ~ E.L. Westbury, Drowning in Paper Flowers

Reading:  my online book club had a tie in the voting for our 07.2026 book of the month so I made the command decision that we would read both titles, Westerly by Susan Donovan Bernhard and Drowning in Paper Flowers by E.L. Westbury.  Reading Westerly on Kindle, listening to Drowning in Paper Flowers on Audible.

 

I have checked out 2 books from the library.  Shattered Silence: the Untold Story of a Serial Killer's Daughter by Melissa Moore and Between a Heart and a Rock Place: a Memoir by Pat Benatar.  Haven't started either but hope to this weekend.  

Untangling: a mess with American Airlines regarding our flight home from Florida.  Our departing flight from Pensacola to Dallas was going to be delayed (not sure how they knew this 12 hours ahead of time) so they just politely moved us from flying home on 08.01 to 08.02, and sent a text message notifying me of that at 6:00 am on the first.  That change would have meant another night's accommodations (somewhere else as our condo was not available) and another day's car rental, plus meals.  I had a minor duck fit.  We got home on the night of 08.01.2026, thank you very much.

Viewing:  we went to the movies for only the third time, I think, this year to see "Young Washington."  The story line was interesting - Washington served in and sought to become an officer in the British Army before 'switching sides' and becoming the commander of the patriot troops in the Revolutionary War.  The movie focuses on Washington's early military career.  

At home, we have just begun watching the Netflix series "Little House on the Prairie."  Would like to watch this program with Lucia and Cami as they have enjoyed Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.  It is very good so far.

Writing: participating in the Inspired Writers Clubhouse "Summer Writing Adventure" running from 07.13-07.23.2026.  

Xercising:  oh, friends, we have been really lazy lately.  But there is a pretty good excuse for our laziness...our gym, Planet Fitness, allows teenagers to use the gym for free all summer.  So, our gym is packed with kids often sitting on the equipment scrolling on their phones.  That and PC's sore hip have kept us from going to the gym for a couple of weeks now.  As soon as we get back home next week, the kids will be in school and the gym will be empty and we will get back to our routine.

Yardening:  I am so sad.  Our raised vegetable garden just isn't going to make it.  As of right now, we just have 2 little pepper plants that are trying to hold on.  I am going to transplant them into pots and see if I can keep them alive.  Poor babies.  Just can't decide whether to do it before we go on vacation or when we get back.  

Zhooshing:  so let me ask your opinion about something.  I ordered this chunky bead necklace from Amazon to take on our trip.  It was broken when it arrived.  Well, not broken but the chain had come off one end.  I thought I had fixed it and took it on our trip.  Wore this sundress and cardi with the necklace to dinner our last night.  As we got ready to leave the restaurant, I looked on the ground and there was my necklace.  It had come apart again.  

What would you do?  I could take it to a gal I know who fixes my costume jewelry for me but she is across town and I would have to pay to have it fixed.  Would you do that or would you ask for a replacement from Amazon and return the broken necklace, which also means a trip across town to have it shipped back to Amazon at our Whole Foods.  
So, that's my July in a nutshell.  And here is a quick video summary of the month from 1 Second Each Day.

I am sending it back and getting a replacement.  Feeling a little petty about doing that as I could get it fixed.  But then again, why should I have to do that with something brand new? 

And here we are already well into the first week of August.  Almost time to get out the fall decorations!!  My favorite season of the year.

Your Turn

How did your July go?  I would give our month an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1-10.  School started back in session today so for the El Paso grands, summer vacation is over.  But we are still experiencing triple digit heat.  Tomorrow's high is forecasted to be around 106* and our humidity has been crazy high by El Paso standards.  

Now that we are home again, I am happy to get back into our exercise routine, back to working on projects and hobbies, finding time to read.  I love being home.  

Hope your August is off to a grand start.  I appreciate you taking a few minutes of your day to visit with me.  Thank you.

Hugs and kisses,